Windows Custom Image Creation in Azure

If you had already created a Virtual Machine in Azure, you might be aware that Azure Marketplace Images are used to deploy OS (Windows/Linux). What if you need custom Images (Templates in VMware World) with tools and applications that your Organization or Department use. 

Below are steps to create a Custom Image in Azure:

1. Spin up Virtual Machine using Azure Market Place Image.​
2. Install all the latest patches and service packs (Most of the time it is up to date)​
3. Install all the required Applications and Application Patches.​
4. Harden the server.​
5. Run Sysprep with Generalized and Shutdown the machine.​
6. Convert prepared VM into an image by using the Capture option.​
7. Deploy VMS using the image created.​

The Installation of CDF 64 bit has failed. Setup will exit now (Error PVS 7.15 Target device Installation)

Installation PVS Target device software component on PVS Image after installing VDA Agent you will see below error message,  this is because VDA installation got CDF (Citrix Diagnostics Facility). Below are two fixes available.

1) Uninstall CDF (Only CDF) using CDF cdf_x64.msi which comes with Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops ISO (F:\x64\Virtual Desktop Components\cdf_x64.msi). Reboot the machine and install your PVS Target Device Software. In this approach, the Target Device software installation may through error (Installation Failed) of  CDF that can be discarded.

2) Another way of getting rid of this issue is to remove the VDA (From Add/Remove Programs) and reinstall it after installing PVS Target device software installation. 

Extend Azure VM's OS and Data Disks

Though we allocate an estimated/expected size of disk for both System Drive or Data drive, we do get into situations where we need to expand the disks. In this article let us look at how to expand disk on Windows Machine.

To expand/reduce a disk VM should be in Stopped(deallocated) state. 

When we provision a Windows machine on Azure the default size allocated to System Drive (C drive) is 127 GB. Azure not allow a reduction of system volume size below 127 GB. Below is the error you see when you try to reduce the System volume size below 127 GB.

Adding New Disk to Azure VM

In the article let us look at Adding new Disk to a Windows Virtual Machine.

To add a new disk to Azure VM goto Home-->>Virtual Machines-->> VM1(Select the VM)-->> Disks. Select the option of Add data disk as shown in the below screenshot.

Add Disk Option with in the Virtual Machine.

Azure Networking - Part 1 (Virtual Network)

Network is crucial and critical part of Infrastructure that enables Connectivity and Security.

Azure Network consists of multiple components Virtual Network, Network Peering, Network Security Group, ExpressRoute, Load Balancer, VPN Gateway, Application Gateway, Azure DNS, CDN (Content Delivery Network), Azure DDoS Protection, Network Watcher, Azure Firewall, Virtual WAN, Azure Front Door Service.

Let us Look at Virtual Network and related components in this article.

Virtual Network is a network boundary which allows communication between devices/resources with in Virtual Network. Virtual Network can have one or more Address Spaces (While creating Virtual Network it will allow only one Address space you can add additional Addresses later). Address space associated with a Virtual Network can be segmented in to Multiple Subnets. As resources within Virtual Network can communicate with each other, resources across Subnets with in the same Virtual network can also communicate with each other.

How to Create Virtual Machine in Azure

Here is the vedio that take us through Virtual Machine creation process in Azure using Azure portal.

Setting-up Azure PowerShell

Below are the steps for setting-up Azure PowerShell.
Make sure you have latest version of PowerShell Installed. To know version of PowerShell installed below is the command.
$PSVersionTable.PSVersion


To Check Current Version of PS on the portal upgrade it if you have Lower Version. Below is the link for latest version of PowerShell download.
Latest PowerShell Download Link